It's amazing how much animals are like people. So often they are viewed as being alive but without feeling that it just blows you away just how alike they are to us. Birds will fight to the death to defend their children, elephants will bury and mourn the death of a loved one, beavers will remain faithful and care for one mate for the rest of their lives. I just got thinking about it after going down to get a drink of water and poor Max was there in the kitchen by himself and was so lonely he followed me around and round wanting to be paid attention to (Friend was on the computer and Florine was up in her room) and so I sat down with him and for a good fifteen minutes reassured him with hugs and pets and was rewarded with kisses. A lot of people find it gross to be licked by a stinky old dog because they lick their butt and stuff but really a dog's mouth is cleaner than a person's. Which when you think about it too much makes you wonder what exactly is in your mouth if your mouth is dirtier than a dog's butt! :P
Max reminds me so much of those old men who haven't quite got it all together anymore. He is pretty dependent and is forever scared of getting left behind. Ever since Merlot was gone he has become even more confused and is anxious, I guess, because he thinks we'll leave too. And he has taken up her old habits of waking up in the middle of the night scratching at the door; except when we go downstairs he seems to forget what for and will just sit on the kitchen mat and just look around. Can animals have mental illnesses? I think so. They can certainly be scarred mentally, so it doesn't seem like such a big stretch. I remember Bill, who before he lived with the Herrings was beaten and left outside on a chain and as a result he was always so timid and scared to mess up that Jon taught him to chase cats just so he could not be so obedient all the time. Though he was smart enough to know not to mess with Barney, because even though she was small for even a cat and Bill was a big dog she would take nothing from anyone and certainly kept all three dogs in their place. Even Merlot, bold and outspoken, feared her and when Barney would tease them by rubbing all against them and purring she would stiffen and stay still as a statue while her eyes grew wide with uncertainty. It's funny how they all were so close-knit; even Barney secretly missed the dogs when they were gone and when they returned she would be on her best behavior around them for a while (i.e. not teasing or swatting at them).
Max reminds me so much of those old men who haven't quite got it all together anymore. He is pretty dependent and is forever scared of getting left behind. Ever since Merlot was gone he has become even more confused and is anxious, I guess, because he thinks we'll leave too. And he has taken up her old habits of waking up in the middle of the night scratching at the door; except when we go downstairs he seems to forget what for and will just sit on the kitchen mat and just look around. Can animals have mental illnesses? I think so. They can certainly be scarred mentally, so it doesn't seem like such a big stretch. I remember Bill, who before he lived with the Herrings was beaten and left outside on a chain and as a result he was always so timid and scared to mess up that Jon taught him to chase cats just so he could not be so obedient all the time. Though he was smart enough to know not to mess with Barney, because even though she was small for even a cat and Bill was a big dog she would take nothing from anyone and certainly kept all three dogs in their place. Even Merlot, bold and outspoken, feared her and when Barney would tease them by rubbing all against them and purring she would stiffen and stay still as a statue while her eyes grew wide with uncertainty. It's funny how they all were so close-knit; even Barney secretly missed the dogs when they were gone and when they returned she would be on her best behavior around them for a while (i.e. not teasing or swatting at them).
Whoever said thatanimals don't have feelingshas obviously never been around one.
0 comments:
Post a Comment